Sealed, flexible flat panel display

ABSTRACT

A flat panel display including a light emitting device having a sealed image display area. An enclosure is curved to have a space in which the light emitting device is sealed, and a curved portion of the enclosure is rounded.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2004-0097521, filed on Nov. 25, 2004, which is herebyincorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flat panel display and a method ofmanufacturing a flat panel display, and more particularly, to a sealed,flexible flat panel display and a method of manufacturing the sealed,flexible flat panel display.

2. Discussion of the Background

Generally, some flat panel displays (FPDs), such as, organicelectroluminescent displays (OELDs), thin film transistor liquid crystaldisplays (TFT-LCD), etc., may have characteristics allowing them to bemade thin and flexible. Accordingly, much research is being conductedinto thin, flexible FPDs.

A flexible substrate is used to produce thin, flexible FPDs, and aplastic substrate is typically used as the flexible substrate.

However, because FPDs undergo complicated manufacturing processes, suchas formation of an organic film, a thin film transistor layer, anelectrode layer, an orientation layer, etc., on a substrate, dependingon the particular characteristics of the FPD, when using a plasticsubstrate, such processes may deform the plastic substrate or thinlayers formed on the plastic substrate. Also, plastic is generally lessdense than glass.

Furthermore, a plastic substrate may not effectively prevent permeationof water or air.

To solve this problem, a plastic substrate may be coated with a barrierlayer to block permeation of water or air.

For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,268,695 and 6,497,598 disclose an organiclight emitting device encapsulated in a film including polymer layersand a ceramic layer interposed between the polymer layers. U.S. Pat. No.6,413,645 discloses an organic light emitting device encapsulated in astack of at least one polymer layer and at least one inorganic layer.U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,067 discloses an organic light emitting deviceencapsulated in a stack of at least one barrier layer and at least onepolymer layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,912 discloses a micro-electronicdevice encapsulated in a stack of at least one barrier layer and atleast one polymer layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,325 disclosed an organiclight emitting device encapsulated in a stack where a barrier layer isinterposed between decoupling layers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,652 disclosesa display device encapsulated in a stack of at least one barrier layerand at least one polymer layer.

However, using such a barrier layer, which includes an inorganic film,to encapsulate an FPD, the barrier layer may be too thin, which maydegrade its durability. Even when the barrier layer is formed on aflexible plastic substrate, the limit of a process temperature is low,so that manufacturing the FPD may be difficult.

Thus, there is room for improvement in sealing display devices inflexible FPDs.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-2946 discloses an organic lightemitting device sealed by plastic that is heated and press-fitted ontothe light emitting device instead of being adhered by an adhesive. Inthis case, although sealing can be simply performed, the plastic may notcompletely prevent permeation of water and air. This results indegradation of the lifespan and durability of the organic light emittingdevice.

U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0027369 A1 discloses a method of makinga light emitting device that is vacuum-sealed with a bag-like plasticfilm inside of which inorganic insulating films, which can preventoxygen or water from penetrating therein, and an organic insulatingfilm, which has a smaller internal stress than the inorganic insulatingfilms, are laminated. However, when the plastic film having theinorganic insulative film bends, the inorganic insulative film maycrack, leading to degradation of the ability of preventing permeation ofwater and air.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 1993-144569 discloses a method ofmanufacturing a light emitting device that is sealed by forming athermoplastic hygroscopic film on both sides of the light emittingdevice, heating and press-fitting the film onto the light emittingdevice to seal all of the device's peripheral parts, and then coveringthe sealed light emitting device with an outer cover film. However, thethermoplastic hygroscopic film and the outer cover film may notcompletely prevent permeation of water and air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flexible flat panel display that may besimply manufactured and that may block water and oxygen, and a method ofmanufacturing the flat panel display.

Additional features of the invention will be set forth in thedescription which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

The present invention discloses a flat panel display including a lightemitting device having a sealed image display area. An enclosure iscurved to have a space in which the light emitting device is sealed, anda curved portion of the enclosure is rounded.

The present invention also discloses a method of manufacturing a flatpanel display including forming a light emitting device by forming animage display area on a substrate and sealing the image display area,seating the light emitting device on an enclosure, enclosing the lightemitting device with the enclosure, and sealing edges of the enclosure.A supporter is arranged between a curved portion of the enclosure andthe light emitting device.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flat panel display accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line I-I of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an example of an image display portionshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of another example of the image displayportion shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a magnified cross-section of a portion of a sealing elementshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a flat panel display according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a flat panel display according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of a flat panel display according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flat panel display accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectiontaken along line I-I of FIG. 1. While the flat panel display of FIG. 1and FIG. 2 is shown as an organic electroluminescent display, it may beone of various types of flat panel displays, such as, liquid crystaldisplays, inorganic light emitting displays, electron emission displays,etc.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the flat panel display includes anenclosure 4 and a light-emitting device 10 arranged inside the enclosure4. At least one supporter 5 may be placed on an edge of the lightemitting device 10. The light emitting device 10 includes a substrate 1,an image display portion 2 formed on the substrate 1 and including anorganic light-emitting device, and a sealing element 3 coupled to thesubstrate 1 to protect the image display portion 2 from the externalatmosphere.

The image display portion 2, which includes the organic light emittingdevice, displays an image.

Various types of organic light emitting devices may be used as theorganic light emitting device included in the image display portion 2.In other words, a simple passive-matrix (PM) organic light emittingdevice or an active-matrix (AM) organic light emitting device, which hasa thin film transistor (TFT) layer, may be used as the organic lightemitting device included in the image display portion 2.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a PM organic light emitting device. Referringto FIG. 3, a first electrode layer 21 is formed on a substrate 1 instrips, and an organic layer 23 and a second electrode layer 24 aresequentially formed on the first electrode layer 21. An insulative layer22 may be interposed between adjacent first electrode strips 21, and thesecond electrode layer 24 may be formed in strips that cross the firstelectrode strips 21 at right angles. The organic layer 23 may be amonomer organic layer or a polymer organic layer. When using a monomerorganic layer, a hole injection layer (HIL), a hole transport layer(HTL), an emissive layer (EML), an electron transport layer (ETL), anelectron injection layer (EIL), etc. may be stacked in a single orcomplex structure. The organic material may be various materialsincluding copper phthalocyanine (CuPc),N,N-Di(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N′-diphenyl-benzidine; NPB, andtris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3). The monomer organic layer maybe formed by vacuum deposition.

A polymer organic layer usually includes an HTL and an EML. The HTL maybe PEDOT, and the EML may be formed of a polymer organic material, suchas poly-phenylenevinylene (PPV) or polyfluorene, by screen printing,inkjet printing, etc. The first electrode layer 21 serves as an anodeelectrode, and the second electrode layer 24 serves as a cathodeelectrode. Alternatively, the first electrode layer 21 may serve as thecathode, and the second electrode layer 24 may serve as the anode.

In front-emission light emitting displays, the second electrode layer 24may be a transparent indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode. In rear-emissionlight emitting displays, the first electrode layer 21 may be atransparent electrode. The second electrode layer 24 may be produced byforming a thin semi-permeable metal film, such as, Mg, Ag, etc., anddepositing transparent ITO on the thin semi-permeable film.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an AM organic light emitting device.Referring to FIG. 4, each pixel of the image display portion 2 shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has a TFT and a self-luminant electroluminescent (EL)device.

The TFT included in each pixel need not have the exemplary structureshown in FIG. 4. Additionally, the number of TFTs included in each pixeland the structure of each TFT may be changed into various forms. The AMorganic light emitting device is described in greater detail below.

As shown in FIG. 4, a TFT is formed on the substrate 1. The TFT includesan active layer 12 formed on the substrate 1, a gate insulating film 13formed on the active layer 12, and a gate electrode 14 formed on thegate insulating film 13.

An inter-insulator 15 is formed on the gate electrode 14 and the gateinsulating film 13. A source electrode 16 and a drain electrode 17 areformed on the inter-insulator 15 and are coupled with a source area anda drain area, respectively, of the active layer 12 via contact holes.

A passivation film 18 of an insulative material is formed on the sourceand drain electrodes 16 and 17, and an insulative pixel defining film 19is formed on the passivation film 18. The passivation film 18 may have asingle-layered structure or a multi-layered structure.

Although not shown in FIG. 4, at least one capacitor is coupled to theTFT.

A first electrode layer 21, which serves as an anode electrode of anorganic light emitting device, is coupled to the drain electrode 17. Asshown in FIG. 4, the first electrode layer 21 is formed on thepassivation film 18, the pixel defining film 19 is formed on the firstelectrode layer 21, and an opening is formed in the pixel defining film19 exposing a portion of the first electrode layer 21. Thereafter, anorganic light emitting device, namely, the EL device, is formed. Theorganic light emitting device may emit red, green or blue lightaccording to an organic material and a flow of current to display imageinformation. The organic light emitting device includes the firstelectrode layer 21 coupled to the drain electrode 17 of the TFT andreceiving positive power from the drain electrode 17, a second electrodelayer 24 covering the entire area of each pixel and supplying negativepower to the pixel, and an organic layer 23 interposed between the firstand second electrode layers 21 and 24 and emitting light.

The first electrode layer 21 may be a reflective electrode including areflective layer of Ag, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, or acompound thereof, and ITO, IZO, ZnO, or In₂O₃ on the reflective layer.

The second electrode layer 24 may be a transparent electrode formed bydepositing a metal with a small work function, such as Li, Ca, LiF/Ca,LiF/Al, Al, Mg, or a compound thereof, in a direction facing the organiclayer 23 and forming an auxiliary electrode layer or a bus electrodeline of a material suitable for forming a transparent electrode, such asITO, IZO, ZNO, or In₂O₃, on the metal.

The second electrode layer 24 need not be deposited on the entiresurface of each pixel. Rather, it may be formed to have variouspatterns. As described above, the first and second electrode layers 21and 24 may be formed in strips that are orthogonal to each other.

The TFT structure and the organic light emitting device structure arenot limited to the above-described embodiment as they may be modifiedinto various structures.

The substrate 1 on which the image display portion 2 is formed may betransparent or opaque. Glass or plastic may be used for the transparentsubstrate 1, and glass, plastic, or metal may be used for the opaquesubstrate 1. When the substrate 1 is transparent, the image displayportion 2 may emit light toward the substrate 1 and/or the sealingelement 3. When the substrate 1 is opaque, the image display portion 2emits light toward the sealing element 3.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate 1 may beflexible. In this case, the substrate 1 may comprise a plastic material.However, the substrate 1 may be made of various materials including thinglass or metal.

For example, plastic materials used to form the substrate 1 may includepolyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN),polycarbonate (PC), polyether sulfone (PES), etc.

When the substrate 1 is made of plastic, the image display portion 2 maybe formed directly on the substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, sothat a protection layer for protecting the image display portion 2 fromwater and air is not formed on the substrate 1. Since such a protectionlayer includes an inorganic layer, which may be difficult to form, it ispreferable that a protection layer is not formed on the substrate 1having the image display portion 2 formed directly thereon.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element3, which seals the image display portion 2, may be transparent oropaque. When the substrate 1 is transparent, the sealing element 3 maybe formed of either a transparent material or an opaque material. On theother hand, when the substrate 1 is opaque, the sealing element 3 isformed of a transparent material.

Glass or plastic may be used to form a transparent sealing element 3,and glass, plastic, or metal may be used to form an opaque sealingelement 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the substrate 1, theimage display portion 2, and the sealing element 3 are all shown ashaving plate shapes.

When the sealing element 3 is a plastic plate, the plastic plate mayhave no protection layers, as in the case where the substrate 1 is madeof plastic. However, the present invention is not limited to thisembodiment, and the sealing element 3 may be a plastic plate having aprotection layer formed on at least one surface thereof. Such aprotection layer will be described in greater detail later.

Edges of the sealing element 3 are coupled to the substrate 1 using afirst sealant 71. The first sealant 71 may be a thermosetting adhesiveand/or an ultraviolet thermosetting adhesive. Alternatively, the firstsealant 71 may be frit glass.

Although not shown in the drawings, a moisture absorbing agent may beincluded in the space between the substrate 1 and the sealing element 3.The moisture absorbing agent, which absorbs oxygen and water, may bemade of barium oxide, calcium oxide, or porous oxide. Examples of theporous oxide include porous silica, hydrated amorphous alumina, or acompound thereof. The hydrated amorphous alumina may be at least one ofbohemite (AlOOH) and bayerite (Al(OH)₃). The moisture absorbing agentmay be any other material that absorbs oxygen and water.

Pads (not shown) coupled to the image display portion 2 are exposed onone end of the substrate 1. A flexible printed circuit-board (FPC) 6 isbonded to the pads. The FPC 6 provides power to the image displayportion 2 and is coupled to external electronic devices to providevarious signals to the image display portion 2. After forming thelight-emitting device 10, the light-emitting device 10 may be seated onthe enclosure 4.

An adhering unit 73 may be formed on the enclosure 4, and the substrate1 of the light-emitting device 10 is bonded to the adhering unit 73 tobe seated on the enclosure 4. The adhering unit 73 may be athermosetting adhesive and/or an ultraviolet thermosetting adhesive.Alternatively, the adhering unit 73 may be double-sided adhering tape.The adhering unit 73 may contain the above-described moisture absorbingagent. Additionally, the adhering unit 73 may be replaced by a moistureabsorbing unit, such as, a moisture absorbing agent or a moistureabsorbing tape.

After the substrate 1 is seated on the enclosure 4, the enclosure 4 maybe bent as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to seal the light-emitting device10. Because the enclosure 4 has a second sealant 72 formed along itsedges, two ends of the enclosure 4 may be bonded together. The secondsealant 72 may be a thermosetting adhesive and/or an ultravioletthermosetting adhesive. Alternatively, the second sealant 72 may be fritglass.

Because the enclosure 4 is bent to seal the light-emitting device 10, itis preferred that the enclosure 4 is flexible.

When the enclosure 4 comprises a single sheet to seal the light-emittingdevice 10, only three portions need to be bonded. Having fewer bondedportions may improve the sealing effect.

As FIG. 5 shows, the enclosure 4, may include a base film 41 having aprotection layer 42.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the base film 41may be made of plastic.

The protection layer 42 may be formed of a transparent material thatblocks water and air. The protection layer 42 includes at least oneinorganic layer 421, which may be formed of metal oxide, metal nitride,metal carbide, metal oxynitride, or a compound thereof. Examples of themetal oxide include silica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide,indium tin oxide, and a combination thereof. Examples of the metalnitride include aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, and a combinationthereof. The metal carbide may be a silicon carbide, and the metaloxynitride may be silicon oxynitride. Alternatively, the inorganic layer421 may be formed of silicon, a ceramic derivative of silicon, or aceramic derivative of metal. Furthermore, the inorganic layer 421 may beformed of any inorganic material that can block permeation of water andoxygen, for example, diamond-like carbon (DLC).

The inorganic layer 421 may be formed by vacuum deposition. In thiscase, pores included in the inorganic layer 421 may keep growing. Hence,a polymer layer 422 may be included to prevent the pores fromcontinuously growing at the initial locations. The polymer layer 422 maybe formed of an organic polymer, an inorganic polymer, an organometallicpolymer, a hybrid organic/inorganic polymer, etc.

The protection layer 42 may be formed on an inside surface of the basefilm 41, as shown in FIG. 5, and it may also be formed on an outsidesurface thereof.

The enclosure 4 shown in FIG. 5 is preferably transparent. Hence, theprotection layer 42 is also preferably formed of a transparent material.

The enclosure 4 may be sealed by thermal pressing instead of using thesecond sealant 72. In other words, a part of the enclosure 4 isthermally pressed so that the enclosure 4 may not include the protectionlayer 42 anymore. This thermal pressing preferably occurs on a part ofthe enclosure 4 to which the FPC 6 is bonded, because the part of theenclosure 4 can be bonded to the FPC 6.

When the enclosure 4 includes the plastic base film 41 having theprotection layer 42, the protection layer 42 can be formed using aseparate process. Thus, the process of making an encapsulated organiclight-emitting device may be simplified, and the process of forming theprotection layer 42 may also be simplified.

When the enclosure 4 having the protection layer 42 is curved as shownin FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, without the supporter 5, the portion of theinorganic layer 421 at the bent portion of the enclosure 4 is folded,which may damage the inorganic layer 421.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the supporter 5 may be interposedbetween the light emitting device 10 and the enclosure 4 at a locationcorresponding to the bent portion of the enclosure 4 so that the bentportion of the enclosure 4 is not folded too flat.

An exterior surface of the supporter 5 is rounded so that the enclosure4 can be smoothly bent along the round exterior surface of the supporter5. As FIG. 1 shows, the supporter 5 may be coupled to an edge of thelight emitting device 10.

The supporter 5 may be formed of metal or plastic. Alternatively, thesupporter 5 may be formed by depositing silicon or other like materialsand hardening the same. Additionally, the supporter 5 may be fixed onthe bent portion of the enclosure 4 instead of being coupled to thelight-emitting device 10.

Because the supporter 5 prevents excessive bending of the enclosure 4,the inorganic layer 421 of the protection layer 42 may not be damaged,thereby enhancing blockage of water and air. Additionally, because thesupporter 5 covers a lateral side of the light emitting device 10, thesupporter 5 can more effectively protect the light emitting device 10from an external impact.

The space formed by the bent enclosure 4 may be vacuum-sealed or filledwith an inert gas. To vacuum-seal the space formed by the bent enclosure4, the enclosure 4 may be sealed within a chamber that keeps apredetermined vacuum atmosphere. To fill the space formed by the bentenclosure 4 with an inert gas, the enclosure 4 may be sealed within achamber into which the inert gas is injected.

Alternatively, to vacuum-seal the space formed by the bent enclosure 4,edges of the enclosure 4 may be coated with the second sealant 72, andthe enclosure 4 is sealed with at least a portion of the edges of theenclosure 4 open. Thereafter, air may be exhausted from the enclosure 4through the open portion, and then the open portion of the enclosure 4is sealed. In this case, sealing occurs twice, but the vacuum sealing ofthe space formed by the bent enclosure 4 may be smoothly performed.Similarly, to fill the space formed by the bent enclosure 4 with aninert gas, the enclosure 4 is sealed with at least a portion of theedges of the enclosure 4 open, the inert gas is injected into theenclosure 4 through the open portion, and then the open portion of theenclosure 4 is sealed.

As FIG. 6 shows, a clip 8 may be further coupled to an exterior surfaceof the bent portion of the enclosure 4 to more firmly fix the enclosure4, the light emitting device 10, and the supporter 5.

The clip 8 may be formed of metal or plastic.

As FIG. 7 shows, a portion of the enclosure 4 on which the substrate 1is formed may be flat.

As FIG. 8 shows, the sealing element 3 may be a sealing film instead ofa sealing plate as in the previous embodiments.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the film-shaped sealingelement 3 may include at least one inorganic layer and at least onepolymer layer. Similar to structure of the enclosure 4, the sealing film3 may be a plastic film on which a protection layer is formed.

More specifically, the inorganic layer of the sealing film 3 may beformed of a transparent material that blocks water and air, examples ofwhich include metal oxide, metal nitride, metal carbide, metaloxynitride, and a compound thereof. Examples of the metal oxide includesilica, alumina, titania, indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, anda combination thereof. Examples of the metal nitride include aluminumnitride, silicon nitride, and a combination thereof. The metal carbidemay be a silicon carbide, and the metal oxynitride may be siliconoxynitride. Alternatively, the inorganic layer may be formed of silicon,a ceramic derivative of silicon, or a ceramic derivative of metal.Furthermore, the inorganic layer may be formed of any inorganic materialthat can block permeation of water and oxygen for example, DLC.

The polymer layer included in the sealing film 3 of FIG. 8 may be formedof an organic polymer, an inorganic polymer, an organometallic polymer,a hybrid organic/inorganic polymer, ect.

Embodiments of the present invention may be applied to organic lightemitting displays, as well as to other various flat panel displays, suchas, liquid crystal displays, inorganic light emitting displays, electronemission displays, etc.

A flat panel display according to an embodiment of the present inventionmay have the following advantages. First, an ultra thin, flexible flatpanel display may be simply manufactured.

Second, a flexible flat panel display may still have high moistureresistance and high air resistance.

Third, sealing is enhanced because fewer edges of an enclosure have tobe sealed.

Fourth, the enclosure is bent without a flatly folded portion to preventdamage to a protection layer of the enclosure.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variation can be made in the present invention withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it isintended that the present invention cover the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

1. A flat panel display, comprising: a light emitting device having asealed image display area; an enclosure being curved to have a space inwhich the light emitting device is sealed; and a supporter coupled to anedge of the light emitting device, the entire supporter being arrangedbetween the light emitting device and a curved portion of the enclosure,wherein the curved portion of the enclosure is rounded, wherein the edgeof the light emitting device contacts the supporter, wherein theenclosure comprises a plastic film including an inorganic layer, andwherein the inorganic layer is formed of at least one material selectedfrom the group consisting of silicon, metal oxide, metal nitride, metalcarbide, metal oxynitride, a ceramic derivative of silicon, a ceramicderivative of metal, diamond-like carbon, and a compound thereof.
 2. Theflat display panel of claim 1, wherein the curved portion of theenclosure is supported by the supporter.
 3. The flat display panel ofclaim 2, wherein the supporter has a rounded exterior surface.
 4. Theflat display panel of claim 1, further comprising a clip coupled to anexterior surface of the curved portion of the enclosure.
 5. The flatdisplay panel of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is flexible.
 6. The flatdisplay panel of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a singlesheet.
 7. The flat display panel of claim 1, wherein the enclosurecomprises three edges where sealing occurs.
 8. The flat display panel ofclaim 1, further comprising an adhering unit interposed between theenclosure and the light emitting device.
 9. The flat display panel ofclaim 1, further comprising a moisture absorbing unit interposed betweenthe enclosure and the light emitting device.
 10. The flat display panelof claim 1, wherein the plastic film further includes a polymer layer,the polymer layer being formed of at least one material selected fromthe group consisting of an organic polymer, an inorganic polymer, anorganometallic polymer, and a hybrid organic/inorganic polymer.
 11. Theflat display panel of claim 1, wherein a sealing element seals the imagedisplay area by being coupled to a substrate of the light emittingdevice; and wherein the substrate is formed of one of glass, plastic,and metal.
 12. The flat display panel of claim 1, wherein a sealingelement seals the image display area by being coupled to a substrate ofthe light emitting device; and wherein the sealing element is a plate.13. The flat display panel of claim 1, wherein a sealing element sealsthe image display area by being coupled to a substrate of the lightemitting device; and wherein the sealing element is a film.
 14. The flatdisplay panel of claim 8, wherein the adhering unit contacts theenclosure and a substrate of the light emitting device.
 15. The flatdisplay panel of claim 14, wherein the substrate of the light emittingdevice is arranged directly on the adhering unit only.